Maine passes gay rights law

Thursday, March 31, 2005 With the stroke of a pen, Gov. John Baldacci of Maine signed into law a gay rights bill that extended legal protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The new law does not legalize same-sex marriage. Known officially as “LD 1196,” the bill’s wording adds the term sexual orientation to the list of protected […]

Despite passage of bailout bill, two US states may need loans

Sunday, October 5, 2008 Despite the passage of a 700 billion USD bill by the United States House of Representatives on Friday and the Senate on Wednesday, two U.S. states may need loans totaling over 14 billion dollars. California and Massachusetts are seeking at least 7 billion dollars each from the federal government as loans. Officials and lawmakers in both […]

Van Hire For Removals}

Here’s An Opinion On: Automated Parking Solutions Australia Van Hire for Removals by Bob AshwoodHiring a van for removals is a very effective way of keeping your costs down. When hiring a van for removals there are key considerations to ensure that you optimise the value for money you seek. Van size and van weight carrying ability, for example. There […]

Landfill named after comedian John Cleese

Monday, May 21, 2007 In an unofficial move by contractor, Roy Harding, a rubbish tip has been named after comedian John Cleese, dubbed “Mt. Cleese” in Palmerston North, New Zealand. The naming came after Mr Cleese visited Palmerston North last year and described it as a great place to go to commit suicide, claiming it was the “suicide capital of […]

Death sentences in 2008 Chinese tainted milk scandal

Monday, January 26, 2009 On Thursday, the municipal intermediate people’s court in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, China pronounced sentences for 21 defendants implicated in the 2008 Chinese milk scandal which killed at least six infants and sickened nearly 300,000 others. In the local court’s decision, 17 accused were indicted for the crimes of “producing, adding melamine-laced ‘protein powder’ to infant milk […]

Ninety New Zealanders evacuated from Lebanon

Friday, July 21, 2006 Ninety New Zealanders have been evacuated from war-torn Lebanon and are on their way to the safety of Cyprus. Three ships are helping in the evacuations, two British Navy and one United Nations (UN) chartered ferry. There are 1,500 people on board the two British ships “There are definitely New Zealanders aboard, but there just isn’t […]

Author Amy Scobee recounts abuse as Scientology executive

Monday, October 11, 2010 Wikinews interviewed author Amy Scobee about her book Scientology – Abuse at the Top, and asked her about her experiences working as an executive within the organization. Scobee joined the organization at age 14, and worked at Scientology’s international management headquarters for several years before leaving in 2005. She served as a Scientology executive in multiple […]

Bluetongue disease appears in UK for the first time

Saturday, September 22, 2007 The first ever case of Bluetongue disease has been reported in the UK. The case involves a cow at a farm near Ipswich, Suffolk. Bluetongue affects ruminants such as sheep and cows, but is not known to affect humans. It is sometimes fatal, depending on the animals affected, and presently has no treatment. The disease was […]